Fred de Graaf

Godefridus Jan "Fred" de Graaf (born 28 February 1950) is a Dutch politician of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD). He was a Member of the Senate from 10 June 2003 till 9 June 2015, and has been Acting Mayor of Enschede since 10 January 2015.

De Graaf, a civil servant by occupation, worked for the Ministry of the Interior from 1975 until 1981. He was as a member of the municipal council of Voorschoten from 1978 to 1981. Afterwards he served as Mayor of Leersum from 16 June 1981 until 16 January 1989 when he became Mayor of Vught, serving until 16 February 1999 when he became Mayor of Apeldoorn, serving until his resignation on 1 October 2011. He served as the Parliamentary leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the Senate from 14 October 2010 until 15 February 2011. In the Dutch Senate election of 2011, the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy won the most seats and De Graaf was selected as next President of the Senate. De Graaf announced his resignation as President of the Senate of the Netherlands following criticism on his neutrality; he remained in office until Ankie Broekers-Knol was elected as successor.

Decorations

Foreign honours
Ribbon bar	Honour	Date & Comment
80px	Third Class, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon of the Order of the Sacred Treasure	2000
National honours
Ribbon bar	Honour	Date & Comment
	Officer of the Order of Oranje-Nassau	29 April 2011 – Elevated from Knight (16 April 1997)

External links

Official

• (Dutch) Mr. G.J. (Fred) de Graaf Parlement & Politiek
• (Dutch) Mr. G.J. de Graaf (VVD) Eerste Kamer der Staten-Generaal

Party political offices
Preceded by Uri Rosenthal	Parliamentary leader of the People's Party for Freedom and Democracy in the Senate of the Netherlands 2010–2011	Succeeded by Loek Hermans
Political offices
Preceded by Hans Goudsmit	Mayor of Leersum 1981–1989	Succeeded by Cokkie Feith-Hooijer
Preceded by Piet Berkhout	Acting Mayor of Helvoirt 1995–1996	Succeeded by Hans Haas (as Mayor of Haaren)
Preceded by Wim Dijkstra	Acting Mayor of Udenhout 1996–1997	Succeeded by Gerrit Brokx (as Mayor of Tilburg)
Preceded by Dirk Reitsma	Mayor of Vught 1989–1999	Succeeded by Iz Keijzer
Preceded by Harm Bruins Slot	Mayor of Apeldoorn 1999–2011	Succeeded by Hans Esmeijer
Preceded by René van der Linden	President of the Senate of the Netherlands 2011–2013	Succeeded by Ankie Broekers-Knol
Preceded by Henk Aalderink	Acting Mayor of Bronckhorst 2013–2014	Succeeded by Henk Aalderink
Preceded by Jan van Zanen	Acting Mayor of Amstelveen 2014	Succeeded by Mirjam van 't Veld
Preceded by Peter den Oudsten	Acting Mayor of Enschede 2015	Succeeded by